SAMANTHA & SIMON

Samantha King, 32, a full-time mum, and Simon Hamilton, 34, an IT Sales Executive, held both their ceremony and reception at Gate Street Barn in Bramley, Guildford.

Budget: £25,000-£30,000

Floral budget: £2,000

Simon and I got engaged in Paris. I thought I was invited along to a work trip, but it turned out to be a surprise mini break! One evening after dinner, he suggested a late night stroll under the lights of the Eiffel Tower, where he proposed.

We decided to go for a civil ceremony and were fortunate enough to be married by my cousin, Jade. This was a surprise for everyone, as we managed to keep it a secret right up until the ceremony began.

The theme of our day was rustic and relaxed. We took our inspiration from the beautiful rustic barn and rural setting of our venue and the time of year. We loved the venue’s charm, log fires and outdoor fire pit (great for toasting marshmallows!) and its relaxed, informal vibe.

About Wedding Flowers Magazine

The new year represents a fresh start and for many of you it will be the year of The Wedding! And we're hoping this jam-packed issue will help you along the way to wedding planning euphoria. A lot of exciting trends are starting to emerge now; you may have noticed succulents popping up everywhere, or that terrariums are the new jam jars, but we've got one more to add to your list the hydrangea. Adored by brides and florists alike, turn to page 20 to see why we love this blouse-y bloom. With Valentine's weddings fast approaching, we've got everything you need to know about roses on page 26, and if you don't know where to begin when it comes to your bouquet, there's a handy guide on page 24! As usual, we have searched high and low for real life weddings featuring the most gorgeous flowers starting from page 31, we go from Australia to Surrey, to East Midlands, over to Italy and then back to the UK with Glasgow a truly international issue! Plus, if you're looking for reception d'cor ideas, you've come to the right place the new tropical, rich purples, and a modern spin on the bohemian trend are just a few of the concepts we have covered here. Of course, I can't not mention our fabulous Flower Lookbook section from page 69 the florists we feature never fail to amaze me with their creativity, talent and genuine passion for what they do. Speaking of talented florists, I am so excited to announce that we are launching the first ever Wedding Flowers magazine Florist of the Year awards turn to page 52 for more! Happy planning.